Dangerous Game
by SweetMemories1998
Summary: While Natsu wonders about all the times he failed to protect Lucy, Gray worries about the dangerous game that he's been playing. Who will have to pay the price for his decision to leave Juvia behind? (Main: Gruvia and NaLu) (Minor: Gajevy, Miraxus, MesCana) (Angst) (Avatar/Alvarez Arc)
1. Protecting Her

**Hey, everyone.**

**I wrote this piece for gruvia is coot from Discord since today is her birthday. **

**It's yet another plot twist I've thought of-though this time it's less insane- and the focus will be on NaLu and Gruvia. **

**I hope you'll enjoy!**

* * *

_"I need to get stronger." Natsu whispered while he concentrated on increasing his magic power. Flames ignited his skin, however he didn't mind the heat. "For Lucy. I have to protect her."_

He remembered the first time he had failed to protect her and how much it had changed him.

It had happened during the battle against Phantom Lord; when Lucy had been kidnapped while he was too busy fighting them. When he should've been there for her, but he wasn't.

The dragon slayer could never forget how his heart had stopped and his blood ran cold once he overheard Gajeel talking about Lucy's successful capture by the Element 4.

Natsu recalled emotions that overwhelmed him at that moment. Fear. Dread. Anger. Regret. He had been so scared of losing her, of losing his best friend-besides Happy, of course.

Thankfully, he was able to rescue her from Jose Porla.

After she was back at the guild, safe and sound, the realization still stayed with him: something had changed that day.

After that, he became more protective, careful. Remembering what it felt like to lose her, even if for a short while, was enough to make him always wish to be by her side.

_Unfortunately, he couldn't always be._

During the Battle of Fairy Tail, it happened again. Lucy was taken away, or at least that's how he saw it when she was turned to stone.

Once again, he wasn't able to protect her. He didn't even see the danger coming because it came from old friends.

That moment also changed him forever, because he finally understood the phrase: "Betrayal only hurts so much because it always come from those we would least expect; those we trust the most."

Natsu kept those words in mind during every mission; every battle. It made him less trusting of people, but also enabled him to protect Lucy better.

Over the course of the next few battles they had-against Oracion Seis, in Edolas, on Tenrou Island- Natsu managed to keep her safe.

He wasn't always by her side, but that was okay because Lucy had grown stronger over time. He was proud of her; even more so knowing that he was the one who had helped her grow.

Thus he hadn't worried much during those fights, knowing she could take care of herself just fine.

* * *

_Until the Grand Magic Games. _

Those 7 days when they were competing, Natsu failed her more times than he could count.

First there was her battle with Flare, when he took so long to figure out why she wasn't fighting back.

If he claimed to know her so well, why didn't he realize that she was selflessly taking the heat in order to protect the ones she cared about?

Then, during the fourth day, he was forced to watch once she was mercilessly tortured by Minerva.

In those terrifying minutes, Natsu completely lost it and later he started to wonder about his reaction to seeing her get hurt.

He realized that if it had been anyone else he wouldn't have been as scared, angry or broken. Not because he didn't care about his other friends, but Lucy was more important.

_She was his best friend, but was she just that?_

Remembering when Erza and Gray had been talking about his situation with Juvia a few days before-they always forgot he had dragon slayer hearing-he decided to figure out exactly how he felt about Lucy.

The answer came 3 days later and it wasn't too unexpected.

_Natsu loved her. _For real.

When Future Lucy died right before his eyes during the most dreadful moment that would haunt him forever, his feelings became crystal clear.

Unfortunately, he wasn't sure what to do about them. Should he tell her? Was that a good idea? Or could it ruin their friendship if she rejected him?

Natsu didn't have time to think about it, though, for their world was soon thrown into chaos. After the long, exhausting battle was over and they had won, all he could think was that he had failed Lucy.

He had let her die-or at least a version of her-thus he didn't deserve to love her. _He wasn't good enough_.

That's why, in the following months, he pretended as if nothing had changed and they were still just good friends. Even though it killed him to be so close to her without being able to truly be with her, he stayed strong.

When they fought against Tartaros and he failed her again, that was the final strike.

He wasn't there for her when she had broken down. He wasn't there when she was forced to fight against Demons by herself.

Thus Natsu decided that he needed to get stronger; not just to defeat Zeref, as his friends had assumed, but to make sure that he would never fail Lucy again.-also to avenge Igneel, but that was another story.

The dragon slayer decided to leave for a year of training and, when Happy wondered why he didn't bring Lucy with him, Natsu was honest.

_"Lucy just lost Aquarius, so I think she needs some time by herself to come to terms with it." He shrugged. "Besides, this training mission will be dangerous. I don't want her to get hurt again."_

Happy understood then that leaving Lucy behind was Natsu's weird way of keeping her safe.

With Tartaros gone and the Balam Alliance broken, he believed there no immediate threats to her life. She would be fine until he came back and, and afterwards, he would always be there to protect her.

Unfortunately, things didn't work out the way Natsu had wanted. Though he did grow stronger during that year, when he returned it was only to discover that Fairy Tail-his family and home- had been disbanded.

He came home to find none of his friends and Lucy really mad at him. It saddened him that he had spent a whole year trying to become a better man who could protect her only to fail her again.

At least, this time, he could make it up by bringing Fairy Tail back together.

* * *

Their journey to find their friends led them to Gray's secret mission at Avatar and they helped the ice mage defeat them.

Then, the day after this battle, an unexpected threat presented itself and Lucy's life was in danger once again.

They were back in Magnolia, having traveled there for Fairy Tail's reunion.

Natsu was proud upon noticing that most Fairy Tail members came despite Lucy's fear that they might've moved on. If he were to be honest, he had been scared too.

Fortunately, their worries were untrue, thus he was able to relax while watching everyone sharing hugs and talking about the past year.

The dragon slayer chose to stay silent; taking in the atmosphere once memories of the good days crossed his mind.

_Until he suddenly got the feeling that something was wrong._

It was like a chill ran down his spine and he immediately knew that the enemy was close.

Natsu looked around, waiting for someone to come and attack then. _There was nothing._

Once he watched his friends, he saw nothing different. There were no strangers ready to ambush them and no one else seemed to be alert.

_Except for Gray that is._

The dragon slayer followed his gaze towards Lucy and Juvia, who were hugging. Though he failed to understand why the ice mage seemed so tense, he figured Gray must sense it too.

Noticing his stare, the ice mage looked back at him and there was a familiar expression on his face.

Natsu knew then that he was hiding something, but before he could ask, Gray looked back at the two girls; even more anxious.

Trying to figure out what made him so tense, the dragon slayer chose to follow his gaze again. His blood immediately ran cold once he saw it.

_There was a knife._ Juvia was holding it and she was about to swing it at Lucy. _What the hell?_

It made no sense, but in that moment all Natsu could think about was keeping Lucy safe.

"Lucy!" He screamed her name at the same time as Gray.

The celestial wizard looked at them, confused, before turning around and stepping away from Juvia's embrace. "What's wrong?"

The water mage rolled her eyes at this and, before either man could say anything, she was behind Lucy. The knife pressed against the celestial mage's throat and suddenly Natsu couldn't breathe.

_He vowed he wouldn't fail her again._

Once everyone stared at the scene in complete shock, Juvia turned to Gray with a smirk that they had never seen.

"What's it gonna be, Gray? Who are you going to save?"

* * *

**So, thoughts?**

**Did you enjoy my analysis of Natsu's feelings? **

**Also, any theories on why Juvia is suddenly trying to hurt Lucy?**

**Next chapter is coming on the 7th of August. **

**I hope everyone has a wonderful day! **


	2. For Her Sake

**Hello again, dearest readers.**

**Here we go with chapter two, which is all about Gruvia's side of the story plus some explanations.**

**PS: I'm dedicating this one to mini me from Discord because it's her birthday today.**

**Btw, here are the replies to your reviews: **

**aliciacevbra: You'll see 😏**

**MasterGildarts: Aww I love that ****head canon! Also, great guess!You'll see what's going on with Juvia 😏**

**Volcomix13: Thank youuu! And great guess!**

**Star197: What a great theory! You'll see 😏**

**Allie: lol Okay here's more**

**FbFlame94: Wow your review was so descriptive and different; I loved it! Thanks!**

**Ushindeshi: I didn't know it either, honestly 😂 I came up with it for this story, but I do think it makes sense.**

**Hope you enjoy the angst! **

* * *

Gray had known that leaving Juvia behind would lead only to heartbreak. What he never expected, though, was for her to actually come after him-or find him in the first place.

It had been a few weeks since he had joined Avatar and they were having a meeting to talk about a new member. He went into the main room unconcerned and uncaring; until he saw her.

She was wearing a midnight blue dress he had never seen before; with a silver colored skirt that went on behind her.

Instead of her usual hats; she wore a silver tiara adorned with sapphires and Gray did like the contrast it had with her light blue hair.

What was most different; though; were her eyes. It seemed they had somehow darkened and instead of love and warmth; he could only see coldness.

At first; Gray thought she was just mad at him. He tried to persuade her to leave and warned about the danger of being there; at the heart of a dark cult that mercilessly killed people.

Juvia didn't listen. She somehow convinced the other Avatar members that she was on their side and even promised to_ keep an eye on him_.

They trusted her for some reason; which puzzled the ice mage. Why didn't they trust _him_ as easily?

It took a few weeks since she had joined until he realized the truth.

"Did you really think I wouldn't realize it?" He had her trapped against the wall; anti-magic cuffs around her wrists.

"I didn't think it would take you this long." Juvia smiled; but it wasn't really her smile.

Gray took a deep breath; bracing himself for what he had to do.

Even if the last thing he wanted was to hurt her, it was the only way to save her from this evil.

"I wouldn't do it if I were you." Her smile turned into a smirk before she began explaining everything.

She told him how Juvia Lockser had been left vulnerable after his departure; thus Zeref had chosen to send a demon; the unofficial 10th demon gate; to possess her.

Lilith; as she was called; was different from the former members of Tartaros. She could only live inside a human; feeding off their life force and controlling their bodies.

She could also use their magic and amplify it. No one would know why; because no one could feel her presence.

Zeref had designed her to be invisible. Of course, demon slayers could become aware of her presence, but it took time.

Lilith also told Gray that the only way to defeat her was to kill her host. She knew he would never hurt the woman he loved; thus the ice mage found himself at a crossroad.

After considering this new information for a while; Gray realized that he had no choice but to play by her rules. At least, until he found a way to defeat her without harming Juvia.

_ If only I had been there, this wouldn't have happened. _It was his fault she had gotten possessed.

_He had abandoned her._ Gray clenched his fists once these dark thoughts plagued his mind.

Lilith watched him, her smirk never fading. "I have a feeling we're going to get along very well, Gray."

The ice mage took in a deep breath._ I don't have a choice. I need to protect her._

Gray regretfully gave in, much to Lilith's pleasure. As expected, she promised not to hurt the water mage as long as he followed her lead.

He decided not to test her, worried for Juvia's sake. _What if she decides to kill Juvia and find another host?_

In the months that followed, Lilith remained in Avatar posing as Juvia Lockser. She quickly rose through their ranks, gaining their trust.

There were times when Gray wondered she stayed because of Zeref's orders or if she was there for him.

In any case; he couldn't get rid of her and; truth be told; he didn't want to.

Even if it was hard looking at Juvia while knowing she wasn't really there; this was the only way to make sure that she wouldn't be harmed.

* * *

Gray often wondered if; maybe; she was still there.

After all, according to his limited knowledge about demonic possession, the victim usually fought against it.

_He was right._ Juvia was still fighting; and sometimes she did manage to regain control over her body.

The first time it happened caught him off guard and by the time he realized that it was Juvia; Lilith had already taken charge.

Now aware that the woman he loved wasn't fully gone; Gray regained hope that she could be saved. He began to desperately await for her to come back.

Thankfully, his constant encouragement payed off. Juvia managed to take control again and they were able to talk for a few minutes.

She told him that she forgave him for leaving; having long since realized that he had done it to protect her. He told her that he would do everything he could to save her.

Though there was more Gray had wanted to say; they didn't have time and he didn't feel it was the right moment.

It took two months for him to finally admit the truth which had been nagging at him ever since joining Avatar: he loved her. Not just as a friend; but he was in love with her.

Juvia was surprised at first, but quickly smiled. "I love you too."

"I know." Gray nodded before frowning. "I'm sorry it took me so long to realize how I felt."

"It's okay." She stepped forward and he didn't hesitate to wrap his arms around her, bringing her close.

"I missed you so much, Juvia." He hugged her tighter. Having her in his arms just felt so right.

"I missed you too." The water mage rested her head against his chest and sighed in content.

They stayed like this for a few heavenly moments, until she pulled apart. Noticing the pained look on her face, Gray understood that Lilith was trying to take over. "Don't let her win."

"She's too strong." He was about to encourage her again, but suddenly she took him by surprise.

Wasting no time, the water mage took his face and crashed her lips onto his. The kiss was passionate, desperate and ended way too soon.

Just as he began responding, she pulled apart, a familiar smirk upon her face. "Well, this was certainly a surprise."

Gray frowned, stepping away from her. "I'll find a way to free her from you. Count on that."

"Maybe." Lilith shrugged. "But until then, we can keep playing."

The game continued and; as time went on; the couple tried adjusting to this change in their relationship.

Thankfully, now that Juvia knew her feelings were returned, she grew stronger and managed to take control more often. Thus they were allowed to spend some time together without Lilith's interference.

Still, the demon always took over and used her ability to grow Juvia's powers to a frightening level. Ordered by either Zeref or Avatar; she killed many targets; innocent people; and the water mage couldn't stop her.

Neither could Gray. He was forced to watch those murders since she sometimes brought him along; taunting him with the promise to hurt Juvia in case he interfered.

It was a torturous; never ending game that he wished he wasn't playing. But what could he do except follow her orders while looking for a proper solution?

* * *

Upon hearing that Natsu and Lucy came looking for him and Juvia, Gray thought it might finally be over.

Maybe they would figure out that something was wrong with her. Maybe he would finally be able to stop lying.

_Oh, but how wrong he was. _

Lilith came up with a clever charade to throw the Fairy Tail members off any suspicion they might have of her. She went back to Rainfall Village and pretended to have been waiting for Gray the whole time.

Somehow, the demon effortlessly managed to convince the duo that she was nothing more than depressed by his disappearance.

Once the ice mage was reunited with his friends, he found himself at a crossroad once again.

However, the reminder of all that could go wrong if he stepped out of line kept him from telling the truth.

Gray had to protect Juvia and his friends; thus he had to keep following Lilith's lead. _For now._

Frustratingly; Erza, Wendy, Carla, Happy and Levy all fell for Lilith's story. Gray actually resented his friends a bit for not realizing something was wrong.

He was glad, though, that Gajeel seemed suspicious. Unfortunately, the dragon slayer didn't say anything.

The next day everyone went back to Magnolia and Gray was a bit distracted once he saw all of his friends again.

It was supposed to be a happy time, but everything changed once Juvia suddenly called Lucy and hugged her.

Somehow, he felt like this wasn't really Juvia's action and his blood went cold upon wondering why Lilith would want to get close to Lucy.

While Gray tensely stared at the duo, he noticed Natsu's gaze on him. Glancing at the dragon slayer, he tried to convey that something was wrong without using words.

_It worked._ Natsu frowned deeply, seemingly ready to ask a question Gray couldn't answer.

The ice mage looked back at the two girls, wondering if he should come up with an excuse to separate them.

That's when he saw it. There was a knife in Juvia's hand and she was about to swing it at Lucy.

_Lilith wanted Lucy dead? Why? And was it Zeref's will or had the demon gone rogue?_

Those questions should be asked later; the priority now was stopping her because it was clear Juvia was unable to do so.

Gray screamed Lucy's name at the same time as Natsu. Much to his relief, the celestial mage stepped away from the hug, staring at them in confusion. "What's wrong?"

The ice mage was about to tell her to run away, but suddenly Juvia was behind Lucy, pressing the knife against her neck.

Lilith smirked at him. "What's it gonna be, Gray? Who are you going to save?"

* * *

**So, thoughts? **

**What did you think of this plot twist? And what are your theories on what happens next? **

**PS: Chapter 3 will be coming, but I don't know when. Hopefully still this month.**


	3. Saving Herself

**Hey, everyone.**

**It's been a while...**

**I apologise for not having posted much recently. I've been struggling with RSI (Repetitive Straining Injury) so I've had to reduce my writing time to almost zero. **

**Fortunately, I have found a dictation app that should allow me to keep writing without further harming my hands. It will take some time to get used to it, but I hope this will be the solution.**

**In any case, here I bring you the long-awaited continuation of Dangerous Game. While I must admit it was a struggle to figure out how to write Lucy's point of view, I am quite happy with how it turned out.**

**I hope you'll enjoy!**

* * *

"Why did he leave without me?" Lucy whispered, staring at the piece of paper in her hands. "I thought we were a team."

The celestial mage sniffled once unwanted tears fell on the note. Though months had already passed since the day she had discovered it, she constantly found herself rereading it.

Lucy wasn't sure why, but maybe some part of her wished that the next time she read it, it would say something different.

Like an apology, or how much he missed her, or maybe even a confession of love.

The latter alternative was so absurd that she didn't understand why it even crossed her mind.

Or at least she told herself so.

It was much easier to live in denial than to confront her feelings. Because Lucy wasn't clueless and she knew that what she felt about Natsu was….different.

Unlike Gray or Loki, whom she only perceived as a friend, Natsu made her feel like the main characters in the romance novels that she had read. Like she was the most precious thing to him. Every time he protected her, selflessly putting himself in danger for her sake.

He made her laugh, distracting her from the worry that came with each new battle. He was always there for her, even if she didn't want him to. Supportive, encouraging, kind.

Of course, there were aspects she didn't like. His obliviousness, recklessness and childishness annoyed her at times. How he always broke into her house or favoured fighting over spending time with her.

But it was okay. Lucy knew that nobody was perfect and she believed that his positive traits made up for these flaws. She wouldn't have wanted him to change only for her. It wouldn't be fair.

Although, she noticed he did change. Mostly for the better. One thing that always struck her was his over protectiveness after their battle against Phantom Lord. She assumed he blamed himself for not being where when she was taken, but neither really talked about it.

As time went by, though, that protectiveness gave way to a belief once she became stronger and able to stand up for herself.

Lucy saw it in his eyes; how relieved and proud he was when she defeated enemies on her own. He believed in her and that encouraged her to believe more in herself too.

After the Grand Magic Games, Natsu changed again. She noticed he tried to shrug it off and pretend like they were the same people from before, but it was clearly not true.

Having watched her be tortured by Minerva and later killed by Rogue seemed to have had a deep effect on him. He seemed less cheerful, overly concerned and distant. It was upsetting and she wasn't sure why he was acting like that.

Strangely enough, wondering about this actually led her to realise how she felt. When Lucy was faced with the possibility that he might be in love with her, she realised that she wouldn't have minded if that was true.

In fact, whenever this idea came, her heart would start racing, her cheeks would flush and her mind be taken to unexpected fantasies of future in which they were together as a couple.

It became hard to deny her feelings, but after Natsu disappeared for a year; leaving only a single note; Lucy started repressing them. Telling herself he couldn't possibly love her, or he wouldn't have left; that it wasn't worth loving him when he was gone from her life.

Once he returned; acting as if they had never been apart; anger took over. She let him know just how much him leaving had hurt her, but he was only focused on reuniting Fairy Tail. It didn't take her long to understand, though, that this was his way of apologising and making up for it.

Natsu wasn't a normal guy. He wasn't a Prince Charming or a perfect gentleman like the men she had read about. He wasn't the type to bring her flowers or open the carriage door for her.

There were other ways in which he showed how important she was to him. Lucy knew, thus she let him lead her on this new quest to find their friends.

She decided to wait to tell him that she loved him. Maybe hoping he would say it first, or perhaps too scared of the possibility of rejection.

However, once the dagger was pressed against her throat and Juvia threatened to kill her, Lucy took it as a sign it was time to stop postponing.

* * *

"What's it gonna be, Gray? Who are you going to save?" She was frozen in shock, still trying to comprehend what had just happened.

"Juvia…" Gray whispered. He seemed understandably tense.

"What the hell?" Gajeel tried to take a step towards the water mage.

Levy stopped him, placing a firm hand on his arm. "I don't think it's a good idea."

Natsu's face twisted with pain and fear. "Let her go."

_He seemed so worried._ Lucy put on a smile. "I'm okay, Natsu."

The dagger was pressed tighter against her throat, drawing blood. Even as her body trembled with fear, she kept the smile.

"Quiet." Juvia whispered, menacingly.

"Why are you doing this?" Erza asked. She hadn't moved, but Lucy noticed her hand reached for the sword.

"Juvia, please." Gray intervened, stepping forward. "You have to fight it."

"Fight what?" Gajeel frowned, confused. Levy let go of his arm, but he surprised everyone by taking her hand; squeezing it.

"Careful, Gray." Juvia's attention seemed focuses only on the ice mage. "You wouldn't want this to be the end of the game, would you?"

"The end of the game?" Lucy overheard Mirajane. Her tone was not of confusion, but realisation. _Did she know what was going on?_

"I know that you can do it." Looking back at Gray, the celestial mage noticed that he had halted. _Why did he stop? _

"Do what?" Levy whispered.

The ice mage kept his determined gaze on Juvia. "You don't want to hurt Lucy."

Though she was getting more confused with each word, Lucy knew this wasn't the time to wonder about it.

She needed to free herself and fast, thus the celestial mage took advantage of Juvia's distracted state to discreetly reach for her keys.

"Shut up!" The water mage yelled, body tense.

"Yes, there it is." Gray smiled and Lucy wondered why.

She heard Elfman's voice. "What's there?"

Mirajane took in a sharp breath. "I see it now."

"This isn't Juvia." Gajeel said and everyone tensed.

"What the hell do you mean?" Natsu asked. He had stayed in place despite his obvious desire to come to Lucy's rescue.

She guessed he must've noticed that she was almost grabbing her keys and decided to let her save herself.

"Gray, what is going on?" Firmly; Erza turned towards the ice mage.

_She sure looks furious. Poor Gray. _Lucy smiled, having finally managed to clasp a she could use it, though, the dagger was suddenly removed from her neck and she was pushed away with full force.

"Lucy!" Many people yelled her name, but she only heard Natsu's voice.

Watching her stumble and fall, he was quick to catch her. _He always did have great timing._

Keeping his arms firmly wrapped around her waist, he glanced at her with concern. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Lucy smiled genuinely.

He stepped away a bit as his eyes searched her body for injuries. They focused on her neck. "You got hurt."

"I'm okay, Natsu." She reassured him.

He frowned. "I'm sorry."

_Why was he apologising? _Lucy was confused. "What for?"

Natsu closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath. "I'm supposed to protect you."

Before she could say anything, there was a scream. "Get her away from here!"

It was Juvia. Turning around to face the water mage, Lucy noticed she seemed to be in pain. _Seriously, what is wrong with her today?_

* * *

**So, thoughts?**

**NaLu fans, did you enjoy this different take on her feelings? **

**What do you suppose will happen next? Who will win this game?**

**Next chapter will be in Juvia's point of view. Be prepared for even more angst ;) **

**February will be an insanely busy month, so the earliest I can try to post it is the beginning of March. To make up for this long wait, here's a sneak peek:**

Juvia watched as Natsu and Lucy interacted, relieved that the celestial mage was safe for now.

_She still has to die. _Lilith's voice resonated in her head and the water mage panted, struggling to stay in control.

_No, I'll protect her from you._ "Get her away from here!"

Everyone went silent. Natsu and Lucy broke apart, turning to face her.

While the celestial mage seemed worried, his anger was clear. "No; _you_'d better get away from here."

"Natsu…" Gray warned.

Natsu stepped forward, glaring at her. "Look, I don't know what's gotten into you, but you've threatened Lucy." Flames ignited the dragon slayer's skin. "And I can't forgive that."


	4. Freeing Herself

**Hey, dearest readers!**

**It's been a while again. Hope you're all doing okay despite this crisis.**

**April was a tough month, or months, or years? I don't know anymore. Quarantine has warped my sense of time and if it wasn't for lessons I wouldn't know the days anymore. **

**Anyhow, I finally found some time to write something and decided to go for this one since it was easier. Hopefully soon I'll manage to write more for Answers, Back To You or add in another soon to be unfinished story. Who knows? **

**We'll see where inspiration takes me, though I feel many crazy ****new ****ideas coming...**

**Happy reading!**

* * *

Two weeks. He had been gone for two weeks and Juvia knew that something was wrong. Whenever Gray took long missions, he would let her know in advance but this time he hadn't.

_Was he in trouble?_ The thought made her deeply nervous and excited, but there was no wait to be sure. She tried contacting him, but there was no answer. Despite her urge to go looking for him, Juvia forced herself to wait for a little longer.

All this worry, fear and sadness made her vulnerable; it weakened her defences and magic but she didn't know that until it was too late.

She woke up that night covered in sweat and heart racing after another nightmare about Silver. They had been frequent over the past few months, despite her knowing that Gray didn't blame her for it.

After taking many deep breaths to calm down, Juvia looked around the empty room and her heart grew heavy.

She missed him so much. It was always weird and uncomfortable to be in the house without him. _Their home_. The place where they had built their lives after Fairy Tail was disbanded and created so many beautiful memories together.

She would cherish those forever, but what she wished most right now was for him to come back.

While preparing her breakfast; pancakes with chocolate and strawberries; Juvia decided that there was no point in waiting around the house anymore.

She needed to find Gray and make sure that he was all right. Even if that wasn't what he wanted. Thus she prepared a bag and had just walked outside the house when she saw it.

There was a book on the porch which had not been there before. The cover was midnight blue and there was a word written in silver. A name. _Lilith_.

Juvia looked around and suspicions, searching for the person who had left it there. Was it Gray? Was it a clue to where he was?

In that moment, the knowledge of how dangerous a book could be evaded her mind. Instead; as it often happened; her focus was solely on him and finding him. Against her better judgment, she opened the book.

* * *

**Nearly 6 months later**

"You don't want to hurt Lucy." _I really don't._

"Shut up!" Lilith yelled, tensing up once she felt the water mage trying to take over.

"Yes, there it is." Juvia watched as Gray smiled. He must know that she was trying to regain control.

Just a little more. But Lilith sure wasn't making it easy to focus. _You're weak. You can't stop me._

"This isn't Juvia." Gajeel knew. He knew her better than anyone; he was her best friend after all.

Juvia glanced at him and that only motivated her to try harder. _I have to protect him too._

"Gray, what's going on?" Erza sounded furious but also sad.

Juvia didn't want her to be like that. This was supposed to be a happy day for all of them; Fairy Tail's reunion.

But Lilith ruined it. She had threatened Lucy's life and the water mage would rather die than to see her friend get hurt.

I'm stronger than you. Finally regaining control of her body, Juvia wasted no time.

First she removed the dagger, throwing it to the side. Then, in one strong move, she pushed Lucy away.

"Lucy!" Natsu screamed, diverting everyone's attention from the nervous ice mage who had failed to answer Erza's question.

Clearly caught off guard, Lucy stumbled and would've fallen if it wasn't for Natsu.

Juvia watched as the two of them interacted, relieved that the celestial mage was safe for now.

_She still has to die._ Lilith's voice resonated in her head and the water mage panted, struggling to stay in control.

_No, I'll protect her from you. _"Get her away from here!"

Everyone went silent. Natsu and Lucy broke apart, turning to face her.

While the celestial mage seemed worried, his anger was clear. "No; you'd better get away from here."

"Natsu…" Gray warned.

Natsu stepped forward, glaring at the water mage. "Look, I don't know what's gotten into you, but you've threatened Lucy." Flames ignited the his skin. "And I can't forgive that."

"She's not the one doing this, Salamander." Happiness filled Juvia's heart when Gajeel came to her defence.

"Gajeel's right." Gray said, making Natsu look at him.

"Then who is?" Levy asked.

Juvia noticed Mirajane grew tense. _Does she know?_

Suddenly, Lilith took over again and the water mage screamed in her mind. _No! Not now! _"Not another word, Gray."

Gray frowned. "Damn it!"

"Shit!" Gajeel's eyes widened and he pushed Levy behind him, making her gasp in surprise.

"I'm done wasting time." Lilith acted quickly; trapping Lucy in a water lock.

"Lucy!" Natsu screamed her name again, trying to reach her.

Before he could, though, another lock encased him and because Juvia's magic had been amplified, he wasn't able to break free.

The water mage watched as both him and Lucy struggled to breathe, unable to escape from the spell. _There must be something I can do._

"Juvia, seriously, stop this." Erza had re-equipped into Sea Empress Armour and seemed ready to take action. _Maybe it'd be best if she did fight me. Could distract Lilith for a while._

"Why don't you try and stop me?" The demon challenged, smiling coldly.

"Okay, I don't know who the hell you are, but leave Juvia alone!" Gajeel yelled.

_That isn't going to work._ Juvia tried to think of another solution, another way to stop Lilith.

Meanwhile, Natsu finally broke free from the water lock and panted for a while, catching his breath.

Turning towards to see the celestial mage, his eyes widened. "No, Lucy!" She was coughing, still unable to breathe, and her eyes were closing. "You have to stay awake."

"I'm...trying…" Lucy whispered, weakly.

She won't last much longer. Juvia realised at the same time as Lilith voiced it. "It won't be long now."

"No!" Gray yelled. He looked around tensely, probably trying to come up with a solution too.

_I can't let Lucy die._ Suddenly, the water mage knew what she had to do. There was only one way to stop Lilith, but it came with a price…

"Lucy, please." Natsu was breaking. His hand reached for hers, but the demon had encased the lock with a barrier that prevented that.

"Lucy…." Levy whispered, stepping away from Gajeel's protection.

"Stay back." He scolded.

"I don't need you to protect me." She stared back at him, unwavering.

He sighed before his focus went back towards Juvia. "Come on, Juvia. You're stronger than this."

_I have to protect them._ Determined, Juvia concentrated hard.

"Yes, you are." Gray's words gave her strength. "I believe in you."

_Almost there. Just a little more and I'll be myself again._

He took in a deep breath. "I love you."

"No!" Lilith yelled once she lost control again.

"What's happening now?" Levy asked, confused.

"She's taking control back." Gajeel replied, relieved.

"Gray…" Juvia took in a deep breath, trying to hold back tears.

Gray stepped forward, smiling. "You did it."

Their eyes met. Her hear broke as the tears came crashing down. "I'm sorry."

Everyone was clearly puzzled when she started sobbing. Then, as she knelt down to pick up the dagger, their eyes widened again.

"What are you doing?" Gajeel asked, tense again.

"Juvia…" Gray's face paled.

Her hands were shaking, but she wasn't backing down. _This is the only way to ensure Lilith won't hurt anyone ever again._

The next few moments seemed to go in slow motion. Gray screamed and lunged at her, trying to reach her in time. Gajeel and Erza stared at her in stunned silence, Levy gasped and Natsu turned around to see what was happening.

Juvia barely noticed their reactions, though, too focused on the pain of stabbing herself. _But it's okay. I can take it; as long as they'll be safe._

Even if she was about to die, this felt like a happy ending.

* * *

**So, thoughts?**

**How do you think this is going to end?**

**PS: I think you've noticed by now a trend of each chapter being in a different person's POV. Who do you think will be the star of chapter 5? **

**I hope everyone has a great day! **


	5. Searching For Her

**Hey everyone!**

**It's been a while since I updated this one, thus I decided to do it next. I really hope you'll enjoy this chapter which isn't very related to the main story, but there is another plot twist so yay!**

**Before we get into it, though, let me reply to your comments:**

**Star197: You're not the only one who hopes so and you'll see how the situation is resolved.**

**FbFlame94: It's a good guess! The good news is that I have decided to make a chapter in Gajeel's POV after reading your comment. Well done on your great theory of how the situation will be resolved ;)**

**Guest: Thanks. I do love ending on a cliffhanger.**

**MyNameIsBack: Thank you so much, your review just meant the world to me. I am so glad that you enjoy my stories and I hope it will live up to your expectations. I also enjoy reading and writing fics after the separation of FT because there are so many possibilities. You will see here how I explored the lives and relationship of two important characters from Fairy Tail Team B. ;)**

**Jebbadia10: Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed chapter 4 and I'm sorry it was quite short. This one is much longer.**

**Happy reading, everyone!**

* * *

**_March X792_**

A lone figure walked along the forest, forced to take slow steps because of the snow. They were covered by a dark blue cape, hiding them from the world. Although, there wasn't anyone else in the forest.

After a long time, they found themselves standing before a large tree that was actually a house. With a relieved sigh, they made their way towards it and knocked on the door.

"Who's there?" An angry yell was heard.

The figure removed her hood to reveal long, wavy hair as white as snow and big blue eyes. Gently, she answered. "It's just me, Porlyusica. Will you let me in?"

She was met with silence before another voice spoke. "Mirajane? What the hell are you doing here?" It was the person she had come here for. _Laxus_.

Mirajane had learned a few days before that he wasn't as okay as everyone had thought. Instead, the bane particles which he had inhaled in his attempt to save Magnolia had never left his body and continued to damage his organs.

Now aware of this, Mirajane had decided to try to help him, thus she had come all the way to Porlyusica's cottage where he had been staying for the past 2 weeks-much to his displeasure.

After being welcomed in and briefly chatting with Laxus and Porlyusica, she asked how she could assist. The healer informed her that the only way he could improve was for the particles to be fully removed, but that had proved impossible.

Having recently taken over all the demon gates from Tartaros, Mirajane suggested one of them should be able to do this. While Laxus was not in favour of her taking such a risk to save him, Porlyusica reminded him that he would die otherwise.

"This isn't your choice to make." Mirajane argued. "I came here to help you and I will do so, regardless of the risks."

* * *

_**June X792**_

With Laxus healed, the only issue remaining was the unspoken feelings between them, which neither was willing to discuss as of yet. Instead they resumed their friendship as it was before the war against Tartaros, neither willing to take the next step.

They kept on like this for 3 months while staying at Blue Pegasus' hideout since Laxus had previously joined said guild and wished to return after he was healed.

The Thunder Legion and Blue Pegasus members certainly did not help them keep this charade, for they kept teasing the two despite their protests. Evergreen and Bickslow wasted no opportunities commenting on Laxus' feelings for Mirajane, Sherry and Jenny always made it clear she should make a move and even Itchia brought up the possibility that they were secretly dating at times.

"Will you just quit it?" Laxus yelled after they were teased again, making everyone silence. "There is nothing going on between us, so stop trying to pretend there is."

"But Laxus..." Evergreen tried, but was interrupted.

"Instead of trying to force us into a relationship, you should figure out what you want from Elfman." Laxus continued.

Her face paled at his words. "That's none of your business!" She snapped.

"Doesn't feel nice when people get into your business, does it?" He raised a brow.

Before the conversation could go any further, Sherry and Ren came into the hideout, looking nervous. "Mirajane, you have visitors."

* * *

The woman in question frowned, confused. Who could it be? After thanking them for warning her, she quickly left the room, eager to get away from the tension.

Once outside the hideout, she was surprised to find Jellal and Doranbolt-or was his name Mest?-standing in front of it, looking nervous. "Hello. It's been a while." She offered them a smile.

"Mirajane." Jellal greeted her with a nod. "I'm sorry for bothering you."

"We need to talk to you about something important." Doranbolt spoke, tense.

"What is it?" Mira asked, concerned. _Is something wrong? Why do they look so unsettled?_

Instead of answering, Jellal suggested that they distanced themselves from the hideout since they didn't wish for their conversation to be heard by the Blue Pegasus members nor Laxus' dragon slayer hearing.

Once they were at a safe distance, in the heart of the forest where a long time ago the battle against Grimoire Heart and Jellal's revival had occurred, Doranbolt finally told her why they were there.

He mentioned that they had been searching for her for quite some time because she was the only one who could help them.

"Help you with what, exactly?" Mirajane asked.

Mest proceeded to explain his undercover mission at the council and how Makarov had instructed him to keep an eye on Alvarez. Then he mentioned how Angel, now known as Sorano, had warned him of their plan to send Lilith, a demon from the books of Zeref, to infiltrate Fiore.

Jellal noted how he believed that Mirajane could help them track Lilith since she was familiar with demons. He also highlighted how important this was since Lilith could be gathering sensitive information which would harm Fiore in case of war.

It didn't take much to convince Mirajane to help. She easily agreed to join them in their search, thus they waited outside the hideout while she said goodbye to her friends and packed a small suitcase.

Laxus, who had disappeared while she was talking to everyone, showed up while she was packing. Without much time, they had a brief conversation about her leaving, the mission and his-barely concealed-concern for her safety.

He also thanked her again for saving him all those months before and let her know that if she ever needed his help during this mission, she should call him. Mirajane was surprised when Laxus presented her with a cellphone, Warren's new invention, but she gratefully accepted the gift.

They shared a rather awkward hug as she wondered if perhaps this was a good time to tell him how she had been feeling for a while. Unfortunately, he pulled apart before she could decide and left her with another goodbye.

She watched him leave the room, suddenly cheerless as she realised it might be a long time before she had another chance. However, there were bigger priorities at the moment thus she finished packing before going outside to meet Jellal and Doranbolt.

Their journey to find Lilith began that day and they were later joined by Meredy and Cobra- who now referred to himself as Erik. Over the course of their mission, Mirajane got to know all of them better and learned about their pasts, present and hopes for the future.

Neither member of the group expected that it would take them so long to actually find the demon, but 3 months passed and though they had searched almost all of Fiore, Lilith's trail remained cold.

After Mirajane received a letter from Lucy about Fairy Tail's reunion, she decided to briefly leave the group. What she didn't expect, though, is that this would be the answer to their quest.

* * *

After watching Juvia threatening Lucy's life, and listening to her dialogue, Mirajane quickly figured out that this must be Lilith.

Knowing that the demon was in fact possessing the water mage made things more complicated because this meant she couldn't directly attack it without harming her friend. Thus Mirajane took some time to think of a solution while simultaneously contacting both Laxus and Crime Sorciére.

Unfortunately, the situation soon became even worse once Lilith trapped Natsu and Lucy. Though Mira wanted to help them, she quickly realised that the only way was for Juvia to take control back.

Gajeel and Gray seemed to think the same for they began encouraging the water mage. Mirajane was actually surprised when Gray confessed his love for Juvia in front of everyone, but relief soon filled her once the water mage returned.

When she apologised, though, Mira was back to worried and once she realised what Juvia was about to do, she screamed. "No, Juvia!" _I can't let her die!_

It was too late. Juvia had already stabbed herself before anyone could reach her. She let out a gasp before removing the bloody dagger and throwing it on the floor. Her face showed pain and sorrow, but also relief once she looked back at Gray.

He was the first to reach her, having ran so fast that even Jet seemed impressed. Mirajane watched, still in shock, as the ice mage held onto Juvia as her body gave in.

"No, please no." He kept mumbling while his hands desperately tried to stop the blood flow.

"You idiot! What the hell did you do?" Gajeel yelled at her, trying to take a step but Levy stopped him, placing a hand on his arm.

"Let Gray talk to her first." She told him gently.

"But I…." He looked back at the water mage in anger but also fear. Mirajane felt sorry for him. _He doesn't deserve to lose his best friend._

She glanced around, looking for Wendy, who could surely heal the water mage. She was busy helping Lucy, who lay unconscious in Natsu's arms.

"Come on, Lucy." Mirajane overheard him plead. _Poor Natsu. He must be so worried._

"She'll be okay." Wendy reassured him.

"I was supposed to protect her." Natsu lamented, frowning deeply.

"Don't." Juvia's plea made Mirajane look back at her and Gray. She noticed that he was about to use his magic to stop the blood flow. _Why is she telling him not to?_

"But Juvia..." Gray protested.

"I'm sorry." Juvia's hand reached for his hand. "I just wanted...to be free..." A pause. She coughed a bit, which reminded Mirajane of Laxus. _I need to save her too…_

"And you will be." Gray told her as he squeezed her hand. "We'll find another way."

Mirajane really hoped they would, but time was running out. Checking her phone again, she was disappointed to find no messages. _Why aren't they answering?_ She started panicking as it became increasingly clear that she would have to figure this out on her own.

* * *

**So, thoughts?**

**Did anyone expect Mirajane to know about Lilith? I did drop some subtle hints over chapters 3 and 4.**

**Miraxus fans, did you enjoy their little moments?**

**Lastly, what do you think will be the solution?**

**Next chapter will be in Gajeel's POV which was not the original plan, but this one was getting so long that I chose to split it.**

**Hope everyone has a nice day. :)**


	6. Her Strenght

**Hey, everyone!**

**I'm sorry I haven't posted anything this week. I did intend to finish this chapter before, but my birthday was coming up (on the 26th) and I got addicted to a game, thus I barely wrote.**

**I intend to do better next week and update No Matter The Cost or Answers. Actually, which one would you prefer?**

**Now, to reply to reviews: **

**Jebbadia10: ****You're adorable. I always mention the people who comment on my stories cause you're awesome. I'm so glad you love this one.**

**Star197:**** Thank you so much, I am always glad to see your comments. And yes, she will!**

**tobethefairybest: ****Girl, I'm so happy you do! And I think you're going to love what I planned for the next chapter. ;)**

**Lucy H. Lover:**** I'm pleased you enjoyed their moments. I felt a confession at that point would feel too rushed.**

**Fb Flames 94:**** I'm glad you found it brilliant. I can't take all the credit for it, though, since I had help from the amazing aconstellationofmemories from Tumblr. Happy that you enjoyed the Miraxus interactions, there will be more soon. You are very welcome ;) I hope it will live up to your expectations.**

**gaby1919:**** Yesss I was so happy to see your name on the comments. Also enjoyed your angsty ideas. I must say, I was tempted to write this, but decided not to go down that route here. **

**Happy reading, my lovelies!**

* * *

**_September X791_**

"I can't believe Fairy Tail is disbanded." Gajeel glanced around as everyone regrouped to discuss Master Makarov's statement. _I feel so different than when Phantom Lord disbanded. _

"I know." Levy frowned. "I'm not ready to say goodbye."

"I felt the same way when I left Edolas." Lily told them. "But I'd rather see this as an opportunity to try something different."

"Like what?" Gajeel asked. _I don't know what my life is outside of Fairy Tail anymore. What will I do?_

"Oooh I could work at the National Library in Crocus." Levy's mood lightened once she considered this.

"A library? Really?" He raised a brow at her.

"It's a wonderful idea." Lily told the petite woman with a bright smile. "We should all do something we love."

"What about you, Gajeel?" Levy turned to him, brown eyes shining. "What would you like to do?"

Gajeel thought about it, but nothing stood out to him. No immediate plan or dream. However, once he looked at her one thing became clear. _I wouldn't mind having her around, wherever I decide to go._

* * *

**_January X792 _**

In the end, they decided to join the Magic Council after a suggestion from Warrod and an offer from Jura. Being in the Custody Enforcement Unit turned out to be a lot of fun and the trio really enjoyed their missions.

Gajeel also liked having a certain status once he was wearing the uniform, since people looked at him with admiration and respect. It was a high contrast to the days he used to be in Phantom Lord or even before that, when everyone would stare at him in fear.

What he enjoyed most about this job, though, is that he was granted access to files that the Council had on everyone. This allowed him to learn the whereabouts of former Phantom Lord members such as Sol and Aria.

Tracking down Juvia also became easier. She had disappeared after the disbandment without even a goodbye, presumably following Gray. However, no one knew where they were, not even the Council.

"She looks great in that picture." Levy suddenly came behind him as he sat on a chair in their shared apartment.

They had decided to move in together soon after joining the Council. While the primary reason for this choice was being economical, there was also the fact that they started dating not long after the war against Tartaros was over.

"She looks happy." Gajeel didn't tear his eyes from the image of Juvia from an old edition of Sorcerer Weekly.

"I know you're worried, but we'll find her." Levy squeezed his shoulders gently.

_Will we? _Doubt filled him and he placed the magazine on the table with a sigh. "What time is it?"

Lily, who was waiting by the door, answered. "Almost time to go."

"We shouldn't be late." Levy warned while getting a cup of coffee.

"I know." Gajeel said, thinking back to the meeting they would have soon. "According to what I heard, these Avatar guys are no joke."

"I am curious to find out more about them." Lily stated.

"Me too." Levy offered Gajeel the coffee.

"Thanks." He finished the drink in record time.

"Great. Now you go get dressed while I finish cleaning up the kitchen." She told him and stepped away, but he grabbed her hand.

"Wait." After he pulled her close, she turned around in confusion.

"What is it?" His answer was to kiss her, which she soon reciprocated. Gajeel pulled apart and smirked at the look on her face and blush on her cheeks. "Now I can get ready."

* * *

**_September, X792_**

After a year of searching, Gajeel finally found her during their mission to take down Avatar. Juvia was proven to be alright, but he was suspicious and decided to keep a close eye on her.

During Fairy Tail's reunion, everyone found out the hard way that something was definitely wrong once she threatened to kill Lucy.

After watching her interactions with Gray and word choices, Gajeel quickly realised that it wasn't really her. No, someone must be pretending to be her.

But that wasn't the case. Once she let Lucy go and warned Natsu to get her to safety, Gajeel saw the Juvia he knew. While briefly confused, he quickly came to the conclusion that she must be under someone's control. _Zeref?_ _Is he the one behind this?_

Gajeel tried to get her back, believing their friendship should be strong enough to break whatever spell she was under.

He wasn't the only one.

"I love you." Gray confessed without hesitation and Gajeel was surprised, but also glad. _It is about damn time. _

Juvia was back, but before anyone could rejoice, she had grabbed the dagger which had almost killed Lucy. "What are you doing?" He asked even as he knew. _She wouldn't. She can't._

But she did. Gajeel watched in stunned silence as she stabbed herself, but inside he was screaming. _You idiot! What the hell do you think you'll accomplish with this?_

He wanted to talk to her, but Levy suggested he let Gray do it first. Eager as he was to rush to Juvia's side, he held himself back. _Maybe Gray can convince her to come to her senses._

Apparently, he couldn't. When he tried to stop her bleeding, she refused. _Does she really want to die? _

After she said that she wanted to be free, Gajeel grew angrier. _Not like this. _

"We'll find another way." Gray promised.

_Damn right we will. But first, I need to know what the hell is going on. _"Free from what exactly?"

"From Lilith." Mirajane answered, surprising everyone. _Wait, who?_

"Who?" Erza asked, now back to her normal armour.

"She's one of Zeref's demons." Mirajane explained. _Of course. This makes sense._

"How the hell do you know about her?" Gray asked, glancing at her in surprise.

"I've been looking for her for a while." She answered. _Well, you've done a terrible job apparently._

"Gray..." Their attention soon returned to Juvia who was getting concernedly paler. _She needs to be healed and now._

Gajeel suddenly remembered Wendy and looked for her just as Gray did. "Wendy!" They screamed in unison.

After receiving a nod from Natsu, who held Lucy tighter once she began to wake up, Wendy ran towards the ice mage.

"Please, you have to save her." He pleaded.

"No." Juvia protested. "We have... to stop Lilith."

Gajeel frowned before he let go of Levy's hand. "Wait...Gajeel..." Her protest was unheard as he rushed towards his dying best friend and knelt by her side.

Once he had her attention, he told her firmly. "There must be another way!"

Juvia was about to say something, but the arrival of an unexpected ally caught their attention. "Gajeel is right." Everyone stared at Doranbolt in confusion and shock while Gajeel was suspicious. _He used to work for the Council. Why's he here?_

"Mest?" The first person to properly react was Cana. "What are you doing here?"

Gajeel frowned. _Mest?_

"I've missed you too, Cana." Doranbolt said with a familiar smile. _What is happening?_

"You sure took your time coming back." She noted with slight annoyance, crossing her arms.

Before these two could properly catch up, Gray spoke. "You said there's another way to save Juvia. What is it?"

Doranbolt looked at him, but didn't answer right away. "Gray, I am sorry it has come to this. If I had known that Lilith was possessing Juvia, you both wouldn't have to suffer so much."

"It's not...your fault." Juvia told him, weakly.

"There's no way you could've known." Gray said.

"We had no idea that she could even possess people." Mirajane informed, making everyone look between her and Doranbolt.

"We?" Cana asked, a hint of jealousy in her tone.

_I'm so confused. _"Seriously, what is going on here?" Gajeel asked, fed up.

"We'll explain later." Doranbolt turned to Gray and Juvia. "Now we must stop Lilith and save Juvia."

"How?" The ice mage asked, hopeful._ Why is he taking so long to explain this?_

"Mirajane will take over Lilith, then Gray will eliminate her." Doranbolt answered.

"Of course!" Mirajane exclaimed. _Why didn't she think of this before?_

She approached the couple and Gajeel reluctantly stepped away, allowing her to kneel down by Juvia's side.

"Mira..." Juvia whispered, barely able to keep her eyes open.

"Please save your strength." Gray pleaded, squeezing her hand again.

"She...so strong." The only reason she could be heard was because everyone had fallen silent.

"She should be weakened now that you hurt herself." Doranbolt said.

"I'll be fine." Mirajane assured, placing a hand on the water mage's shoulder.

Gajeel gasped once a dark blue smoke suddenly came out of Juvia's body and enveloped Mirajane._ Is that Lilith?_

"Mirajane?" Lisanna asked her older sister after a moment.

"i can handle it." Mirajane opened her eyes and Gajeel could tell she was struggling to control Lilith.

"Gray, it's your turn." Doranbolt called the ice mage who was staring worriedly at Juvia, who had fallen unconscious.

"But Juvia..." Gajeel placed a hand on his shoulder. "I'll stay with her."

"And I'll heal her." Wendy told Gray.

He looked between them unsurely. After taking a few deep breaths, he nodded. "Okay." He gently kissed Juvia's forehead before carefully passing her to Gajeel.

Once Wendy started using her magic to heal the water mage, Gray stood and faced Doranbolt. "What happens now?"

* * *

**So, thoughts?**

**Did you enjoy the small Gajevy/Gajuvia scenes? Writing these made me want to expand on their lives during the time skip. **

**How do you think this will be solved now? Remember that, as far as we know, the only way to defeat Lilith is to kill her host. So what do you assume is Doranbolt's plan?**

**Next chapter will be in Doranbolt/Mest's POV as I'll explain his plan to take down Lilith and explore a ship you're probably unfamiliar with. There will also be some Gruvia and perhaps NaLu scenes too. **

**I hope everyone has a nice day! **


	7. Remembering Her

**Good morning, dearest readers!**

**I hope you're having a good day which is about to get better because I have a new chapter for you ;)**

**Firstly, let me reply to your comments:**

**Star197****: Ikr? She's a queen!**

**FbFlame94****: This one is also packed because I had to develop Mest and Cana's relationship in a limited amount of words. I'm very glad you're excited for this ship ;)**

**Also happy you enjoyed the Gajevy and Gajuvia scenes, I loved writing those. Their brotp is my favourite in FT, so I always include them in my stories.**

**Lucy H Lover****: Aww I'm happy you enjoyed the soft Gajevy scenes. :) You'll learn about Mest's plan here. It's nothing too complicated.**

**Jebbadia10****: Aww You're so sweet. Thank you :) I'm glad you're enjoying this story.**

**MyNameIsBack****: I'm pleased you enjoyed the last 2 chapters. Mirajane and Laxus' appearances were unplanned but I loved including them here. I am also loving the change in POV with each chapter. Giving different characters a chance to shine is my thing. Lastly, yesss for Gajuvia, their brotp is my favourite, so I always try to include them in my stories.**

**PS: MyNameIsBack asked how many chapters I have planned for this story. I'd say after this one there should be at most 3 just to wrap things up.**

**Happy reading!**

* * *

**September X791**

"Mest Gryder, your mission is complete." Mest stared at Makarov in utter shock. Then his eyes caught the Fairy Tail mark which suddenly appeared on his shoulder. "What the hell is this?" He started freaking out. "Start talking!"

Makarov explained things calmly. How Mest always had that emblem, but concealed it once he began his mission. How he had erased his own memory to infiltrate the Magic Council.

Mest couldn't believe what he was hearing. _Me? A member of Fairy Tail? It can't be._

Makarov noted how he was a good man, so devoted to protecting his guild that he had erased his own identity.

When Mest inquired about the time he had been infiltrating Fairy Tail for the Magic Council, the older man affirmed that's why he had been told not to erase his memories.

It was unbelievable, but suddenly the pieces started to come in. Flashback by flashback, Mest began to remember his life and the mission he had risked so much for. _He's telling the truth. But this...is too much..._

Makarov watched him quietly, a sympathetic look upon his face, letting the young man figure things out himself. Then his eyes wandered to someone behind Mest, making the latter turn around.

She was standing not far away, probably having heard what they said. Her eyes were widened, a look of pure shock on her face, but there was also recognition.

_Cana…._Mest remembered her. They had been childhood friends, as close as Natsu, Gray and Erza. They had shared everything for so long, but then he had left and she had been heartbroken.

"Mest?" Her voice broke him out of his thoughts.

"Cana..." Mest stared at the woman in front of him in disbelief._ I've missed her so much._

Makarov glanced between them with sadness. "I can only imagine how much you two must've missed each other. I'm sorry it had to be like this."

"I..." Cana struggled with words. "You...We were..."

"You remember?" Mest asked and she nodded, tears streaming down her face. He couldn't stop himself from crying too. _It's finally over. I can come home to her._

* * *

Unfortunately, home ceased to exist for Makarov disbanded Fairy Tail that very night. While most people were confused, shocked and unaware, Mest knew this must be related to his mission.

He was proven right once the older man explained how there was nothing stopping Alvarez from invading Fiore now. Makarov had thought this was the best way to keep everyone safe in case they did.

He also made Mest promise not to tell anyone, not even Cana, about this threat. Briefly mentioning his intent to go to Alvarez to try and negotiate peace, Fairy Tail's master left before Mest could protest.

The next few months were weird. Despite remembering everything, Mest was unable to reunite with his comrades since each took a different path. Many disappeared, not to be seen nor heard from until a year later.

He was glad that at least Cana stayed. She helped him adjust to a life after his mission and their friendship soon resumed to what it had been before. They even moved in together, choosing to stay in Magnolia.

During this time Mest spent with her, he reflected a lot about the past and future. Now having all the information, he began seeing everything in a new light. That included his relationship with Cana.

Recalling every single moment, he wondered if there was something more to it. Analysing his feelings led to doubt, but also hope. The thought of loving her like he had watched Gray love Juvia or Jellal love Erza felt so right. _Maybe I am in love with her._

But he needed to be sure, so he watched and waited to see if she gave any indication of returning his affection in a romantic way.

* * *

**January X792**

The answer came one night when she came home late at night and they had an honest, serious conversation.

She was very emotional that night, traumatised after being forced to watch her client be murdered in an exhausting mission. Involuntarily, every wound and tragic memory resurfaced. Cana talked about missing her mother, worrying she'd never see her father again, and fearing that he would leave her too.

Mest reassured her he wasn't leaving, voiced his hope that someday the guild could be together again and comforted her as he used to whenever she broke down.

She surprised him with an unexpected kiss. He eagerly replied but once able to think rationally, pulled apart.

Cana stared at him in confusion and slight embarrassment. She apologised, but he dismissed it. "There's no need to. It doesn't have to mean anything."

She sighed, seemingly disappointed. "I thought...you wanted it too."

Hopeful, Mest asked. "What do you mean?"

Cana shook her head. "Nothing."

He watched her begin to walk away. "Cana! Talk to me, please."

"There's nothing to talk about." She told him, bitterly. "You said it yourself, this doesn't mean anything."

He refused to let her go before they could properly talk about the kiss. The conversation that ensued was difficult, but they soon realized that they were on the same page.

After confessing to possibly having romantic feelings towards each other, the decision to try dating was unanimous and they sealed it with a passionate kiss.

* * *

**June X791**

After five rather blissful months, they were reminded that the world was still collapsing when Jellal came and informed Mest that Alvarez had sent a demon to spy on Fiore.

Again he had to leave Cana behind in order to eliminate this threat. She was reluctant to let him go, but also understood he needed to. Truth be told, she also had a mission of her own to get back to: tracking down her father.

They said their goodbyes once he walked away from her, both starting to get teary eyed, they thought the same thing. _I hope this goodbye won't last for years like last time._

Thankfully, 3 months was all Mest needed to complete his mission. Although he had actually thought it would be less, even with Jellal, Meredy and Mirajane's help, Lilith still evaded them. They worried about what she might be doing, hoping it wouldn't be too late to stop her.

They searched all over Fiore until Mirajane led them to Marguerite where she said Lilith's presence was stronger. Unfortunately, she had to leave them to go to Fairy Tail's reunion, so they were left without the person who could pose the greatest threat to the demon.

Marguerite turned out to be a bust since there were no signs of Lilith. Then, Meredy recalled that Gray and Juvia had lived not far, in Rainfall Village. They made the wise decision of checking out the couple's home and that's where they struck gold.

* * *

**_One day later_**

"What happens now?"

"Now you eliminate Lilith." Mest said matter of factly.

"But..." Gray's confusion remained. "The only way to do that is to kill her host."

"Wait, what?" Erza's eyes widened.

"Are you suggesting that he kills Mirajane?" Lisanna asked in disbelief.

Before Mest could explain, there was a strike of lightning that almost hit him. _What the hell?_

"If he is, he'd better be ready to die." It was Laxus and the Thunder Legion who showed up all of sudden.

"Laxus!" Mira called his name, appearing relieved, while everyone else was surprised.

"Where have you guys been?" Elfman asked, eyes focused on Evergreen,

"It's none of your business." She snapped.

"I...I didn't expect you to come." Mest told Laxus, slightly afraid of the latter's death glare. _He really is mad._

"Mira texted me." The dragon slayer said before turning to her. "Are you okay?"

Her face showed pain, but she put on a smile. "Yes, I'm alright."

"We should finish this quickly." Mest said, noticing her state. _Looks like Lilith isn't as weakened as I assumed._

"Finish what exactly?" Freed asked, looking around curiously.

"It's a long story." Mirajane answered.

Mest spoke again. "We can explain things after Lilith is defeated." Using his magic, he retrieved the item they would need. A book. Lilith's book.

"How do you have that?" Mirajane was shocked.

"Doesn't really matter." He explained. "Now, can you trap her?"

After a moment of consideration, she nodded and approached him. He noticed that Laxus watched them with a glare. _Is he...jealous?_

Cana's look wasn't much different and Mest had a hard time ignoring her. _Gotta focus now._

Everyone was silent again while Mirajane put a hand on the book and concentrated. The same dark cloud from before enveloped her before transferring to the book.

"There you go." She panted.

"Thank you." Mest told her, concerned by how pale she suddenly was. _She doesn't look good. _"You should get some rest now."

"I'm...fine." Mira stepped back, but soon her knees gave in. Being the closest person, he was the one to catch her.

"Mirajane!" There were multiple screams. Laxus moved at lightning speed and appeared by her side.

"I can take her now." His look was menacing, so Mest chose not to argue. Carefully he escorted Mirajane to the lightning dragon slayer.

"Laxus…" She whispered his name, weakly.

Holding her close, Laxus surveyed her worriedly. "How do you feel?"

"Just tired." She tried a smile.

"I'll help her too." Wendy, who was still healing Juvia, promised.

Wasting no time, Mest called the ice mage. "Gray, now it's your turn."

After a moment's hesitation, Gray nodded before rushing towards him.

Taking the book, the ice mage allowed his demon slayer magic to be activated. Within seconds, it had turned to dust, much to everyone's relief.

"She's finally gone now." Many people let out relieved sighs that the insanity was over.

"Good." Gajeel spoke after a moment of silence. "Now you can start explaining things."

* * *

**So, thoughts?**

**Did you enjoy the MesCana? I want to write more of them now. :)**

**What about Mest' idea to trap Lilith in the book?**

**Next chapter will be in Meredy's POV. There will be some closure on all the ships before we move onto the final part of the story.**


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